Meteo Ishigaki (Yaeyama) in maggio

May opens the rainy season on this chain of islands, and regulars are quick to distinguish it from the mainland version: it rains neither every day nor all day, more often a one or two hour downpour followed by sun, though some stretches bring lots of drizzle instead and the pattern really cannot be predicted in advance. Our row backs the shift with 227.1mm across 15.9 days at 82.8 percent humidity, while temperature stays comfortable, 28.2C reading as 32C over 23.3C nights. The board's peak recommendation is March or October, the coolest and driest months, but they are clear May is still visitable rather than a month to avoid. The sea is 26C. Typhoons belong to September, not now. The record: 9.6 hours of sun, a 27.9 kph wind and AQI 57.

Okinawa-region forum posters generally rate October favorably: it's past the subtropical rainy season and still warm enough for snorkeling, with early October running noticeably warmer than the tail end of the month. The consistent caveat is typhoons - October is technically the winding-down edge of the season, and while the odds of a direct hit drop compared to July through September, posters were clear the risk doesn't disappear entirely, so it's worth checking storm tracking before a trip. Expect warm, humid days rather than anything close to cool.

Forum posters describe April as statistically stable and pleasant, sitting before the rainy season and well ahead of typhoon risk - one local source specifically names April (alongside June) as a genuinely good window for that reason. Sea temperatures run around 20-23C, described by posters as fine for tide-pooling and general exploring but on the cool side for comfortable swimming without a wetsuit. The clear trade-off for visiting before peak season: posters report noticeably lower accommodation costs (some citing roughly half of high-season rates), thinner crowds, and especially clear water for snorkeling and diving even without the warmer swimming temperatures summer brings.